IMAGINE · ACHIEVE · EXCEL
Career Coaching, Development & Counselling Vancouver
A career consulting and training firm with international reach. We provide the navigational tools for your journey
Our Services
Education & Professional Development Solutions
for CDPs, Counsellors, or Other Helping Professionals
Since 1993, Life Strategies Ltd., an award-winning project-based organization, has supported individuals and organizations to be the best they can be. Over the years, our services have changed, and our scope has expanded – through e-learning initiatives and virtual offices, we are connected to colleagues and clients on six continents!
Our leadership team serves as guides and supports all our programs and services. Our leadership includes Dr. Roberta Borgen and Cassie Taylor, who walk alongside and encourage the fantastic team who play a critical role in the day-to-day operations, and success of our programs and services. In addition, we have a highly experienced instructional community of educators from across Canada and internationally. From time to time, we invite career experts to support specific career programs or services alongside our team, who bring our training and offerings to life.
Life Strategies is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. We work with clients and students worldwide – from remote regions in Northern Canada to world-class cities like Dubai and Hong Kong. We maintain both a local and global focus – not surprisingly, we spend a lot of time in airports.
Life Strategies offers education and professional development solutions for career development professionals, counsellors, and other helping professionals through e-learning, in-house workshops/seminars, and customized curriculum development. Through virtual workshops, resources, and career coaching/counselling sessions, we also support individuals to imagine, achieve, and excel in work, life, and learning. Lastly, we offer targeted solutions for organizations, associations, or community groups seeking to assess/address a wide variety of career-related issues.
We’ve remained strongly connected to our roots in career management, playing leadership roles in professional associations, presenting workshops and keynotes at national and international conferences, and supporting the advancement of the Canadian career industry through research and consultation. We offer expertise in career engagement, career recovery, diversity/inclusion, online learning, change/transition, optimism/resiliency, international/global careers, and balance/sustainability.
We have never strayed from our commitment to excellence, innovation, and affordability. Many of our resources are available for free or at a low cost.
Suppose you’re an individual who needs growth and career development, or you’re on a personal development journey. In that case, you can find the support you need with our team with various courses, such as career recovery, publications, or an individual coaching call. Please give us a call today to discuss your unique needs. We want to support you and encourage you to imagine, achieve, and excel!
Testimonials
What Clients Are Saying
Edward D. Halpin, President and CEO STP Nuclear Operating Company
Barb Litwin, Theories and Ethics student
Kim Katz - Director, Client Operations Training, TELUS.
Nadia Serry, CCDP, CT
Career Coaching
A career coach can help you to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are and what you’re best at. Then they can help you to use your strengths in the most effective way possible. A career coach can also help you to develop your confidence and motivation so that you are able to make changes in your life, such as moving jobs or changing careers. A quality career coach will help you set goals, create action plans and hold you accountable for the actions you need to take in order to achieve your goals.
If you are struggling to make the necessary changes in your career, it may be time to consider hiring a coach.
A coach will help you to:
Identify the root causes of your career dissatisfaction and develop strategies for change.
Create an action plan that will help you achieve your career goals
Identify and overcome the obstacles that are holding you back from achieving success in your career
Develop a plan for reaching out to others who can help you achieve your goals
Career Development
Career development, also known as career advancement or career planning, is the process by which an individual may advance in their chosen field of work. Long-term planning is deciding how to invest in one’s education to best serve one’s professional and personal goals over time. To broaden the meaning of “career development,” one might think of it as encompassing all of an individual’s work-related experiences up to and including their current job title.
Career Counselling
Career counselling is a process that helps people to identify what they want from their careers and find ways of achieving them.
It can also help people who are undecided about which career path to take or who are unhappy in their current job.
What do they help with?
Exploring your options
Seeing the bigger picture
Understanding yourself better
Professional Development
Professional development refers to the process of improving one’s skills, knowledge, and experience in order to advance in one’s career. Think of it as an ongoing process throughout your career. You’re never too young or too old to learn something new. If you want to get ahead, then it’s time for you to start making professional development a priority in your life.
How can I develop my professional skills?
1. Take a graduate-level course
2. Attend a training course to gain a new skill
3. Get coaching from an expert in your field
What are the benefits?
Give you confidence and security knowing what you’re doing and why
It can help you gain a new skill
It’s investing in your future
What is a Professional Development Plan?
A professional development plan is a written document that outlines skills, knowledge, and experience.
It is a useful tool that will help you to manage and develop your career effectively by:
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses
Set goals for yourself
Develop a plan to reach those goals
What does a plan look like?
Define your goals
Research your options
Create a timeline
Get support from family, friends, and mentors
Keep track of your progress and celebrate your accomplishments!
Career Management
Career management is the process of managing your career in a way that helps you achieve your personal and professional goals. It requires awareness, planning, action, and follow-through.
Career management involves three important steps:
1) Self-Assessment – Knowing yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, what you want from life, your values, goals, and priorities.
2) Setting Goals – Developing specific, measurable goals that will help you achieve what you want out of life and work.
3) Taking Action – Acting on your goals by setting priorities, taking risks, and making changes.
About Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in western Canada, located in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.
With over 5,700 people per square kilometre, Vancouver has the highest population density in Canada. With 46 percent of residents not being native English speakers, Vancouver is one of Canada’s most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities. Vancouver is one of the most livable cities in Canada and the world. In terms of housing affordability, Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in Canada, not to mention the world. The city’s urban planning design philosophy is called “Vancouverism” and Vancouver aspires to be the greenest city in the world.
The Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard) peoples were among the first to settle in Vancouver more than 10,000 years ago. The modern city, originally known as Gastown, grew around the site of a makeshift tavern on the western outskirts of Hastings Mill, which was constructed on July 1, 1867, and was owned by proprietor Gassy Jack. The original location is marked by the Gastown steam clock. Granville, Burrard Inlet was then formally registered as Gastown. In 1886, the city was renamed “Vancouver” as part of an agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The Canadian railway had reached the city by 1887. The city’s large natural Pacific Ocean seaport became an important link in trade between the Asia-Pacific region, East Asia, Europe, and Eastern Canada.
Many international conferences and events take place in Vancouver, some of which include the 1954 Commonwealth Games, Expo 86, UN Habitat I, APEC Canada 1997, the World Police and Fire Games in 1989 and 2009, and several FIFA Women’s World Cup matches, including the finals, at BC Place in Downtown Vancouver. The Winter Olympics and Paralympics of 2010 were held in Vancouver and a resort town 125 kilometres (78 miles north of the city called Whistler. Greenpeace was founded in 1969 in Vancouver. The city became the permanent home of the TED conferences in 2014.
As of 2016, the Port of Vancouver was the fourth-largest port in the Americas by tonnage, the most diverse port in North America, and the busiest and largest in Canada. While forestry remains the city’s most important industry, the second-largest industry is tourism, as Vancouver is well known as an urban oasis surrounded by nature. Vancouver earned the name “Hollywood North” as major film production studios in Vancouver and nearby Burnaby have transformed Greater Vancouver and surrounding areas into one of North America’s largest film production hubs.
Zip codes
V5K 0A1
V5K 0A2
V5K 0A3
V5K 0A4
V5K 0A5
V5K 0A6
V5K 0A7
V5K 0A8
V5K 0A9
V5K 0B1
V5K 0B2
V5K 0B3
V5K 0B4
V5K 0B5
V5K 0B6
V5K 0B7
V5K 0B8
V5K 0B9
V5K 0C1
V5K 0C2
V5K 0C3
V5K 0C4
V5K 0C5
V5K 0C6
V5K 0C7
V5K 0C9
V5K 0E1
V5K 0E2
V5K 0E3
V5K 0E4
V5K 0E5
V5K 0E6
V5K 0E7
V5K 0G2
V5K 0G3
V5K 0G4
V5K 0G5
V5K 0G6
V5K 0G7
V5K 0G8
V5K 0G9
V5K 0H1
V5K 0H2
V5K 1A1
V5K 1A4
V5K 1A5
V5K 1A6
V5K 1A7
V5K 1A8
V5K 1A9
V5K 1B1
V5K 1B2
V5K 1B3
V5K 1B4
V5K 1B5
V5K 1B6
V5K 1B7
V5K 1B8
V5K 1B9
V5K 1C1
V5K 1C3
V5K 1C4
V5K 1C5
V5K 1C6
V5K 1C7
V5K 1C8
V5K 1C9
V5K 1E1
V5K 1E2
V5K 1E3
V5K 1E4
V5K 1E5
V5K 1E6
V5K 1E7
V5K 1E8
V5K 1E9
V5K 1G1
V5K 1G2
V5K 1G3
V5K 1G4
V5K 1G5
V5K 1G6
V5K 1G7
V5K 1G8
V5K 1G9
V5K 1H1
V5K 1H2
V5K 1H3
V5K 1H4
V5K 1H5
V5K 1H6
V5K 1H7
V5K 1H8
V5K 1H9
V5K 1J1
V5K 1J2
V5K 1J3
V5K 1J4
V5K 1J5
V5K 1J6
V5K 1J7
V5K 1J8
V5K 1J9
V5K 1K1
V5K 1K2
V5K 1K3
V5K 1K4
V5K 1K5
V5K 1K6
V5K 1K7
V5K 1K8
V5K 1K9
V5K 1L1
V5K 1L2
V5K 1L3
V5K 1L4
V5K 1L5
V5K 1L6
V5K 1L7
V5K 1L8
V5K 1L9
V5K 1M2
V5K 1M3
V5K 1M4
V5K 1M5
V5K 1M6
V5K 1M7
V5K 1M8
V5K 1M9
V5K 1N1
V5K 1N2
V5K 1N3
V5K 1N4
V5K 1N5
V5K 1N6
V5K 1N8
V5K 1N9
V5K 1P1
V5K 1P2
V5K 1P3
V5K 1P4
V5K 1P5
V5K 1P6
V5K 1P7
V5K 1P8
V5K 1P9
V5K 1R1
V5K 1R2
V5K 1R3
V5K 1R4
V5K 1R5
V5K 1R8
V5K 1R9
V5K 1S1
V5K 1S2
V5K 1S3
V5K 1S4
V5K 1S5
V5K 1S6
V5K 1S7
V5K 1S8
V5K 1S9
V5K 1T1
V5K 1T2
V5K 1T3
V5K 1T4
V5K 1T5
V5K 1T8
V5K 1T9
V5K 1V1
V5K 1V2
V5K 1V3
V5K 1V4
V5K 1V5
V5K 1V6
V5K 1V7
V5K 1V8
V5K 1V9
V5K 1W1
V5K 1W2
V5K 1W3
V5K 1W4
V5K 1W7
V5K 1W8
V5K 1W9
V5K 1X1
V5K 1X2
V5K 1X3
V5K 1X4
V5K 1X5
V5K 1X6
V5K 1X7
V5K 1X8
V5K 1X9
V5K 1Y3
V5K 1Y4
V5K 1Y5
V5K 1Y6
V5K 1Y7
V5K 1Y8
V5K 1Z1
V5K 1Z2
V5K 1Z3
V5K 1Z4
V5K 1Z5
V5K 1Z6
V5K 1Z8
V5K 1Z9
V5K 2A1
V5K 2A3
V5K 2A5
V5K 2A6
V5K 2A7
V5K 2A8
V5K 2A9
V5K 2B1
V5K 2B2
V5K 2B3
V5K 2B4
V5K 2B5
V5K 2B6
V5K 2B7
V5K 2B8
V5K 2B9
V5K 2C1
V5K 2C2
V5K 2C3
V5K 2C4
V5K 2C5
V5K 2C6
V5K 2C7
V5K 2C8
V5K 2C9
V5K 2E1
V5K 2E2
V5K 2E3
V5K 2E4
V5K 2E5
V5K 2E6
V5K 2E7
V5K 2E8
V5K 2E9
V5K 2G1
V5K 2G2
V5K 2G3
V5K 2G4
V5K 2G5
V5K 2G6
V5K 2G7
V5K 2G8
V5K 2G9
V5K 2H1
V5K 2H2
V5K 2H3
V5K 2H4
V5K 2H5
V5K 2H6
V5K 2H7
V5K 2H8
V5K 2H9
V5K 2J1
V5K 2J2
V5K 2J3
V5K 2J4
V5K 2J5
V5K 2J6
V5K 2J7
V5K 2J8
V5K 2J9
V5K 2K1
V5K 2K2
V5K 2K3
V5K 2K4
V5K 2K5
V5K 2K6
V5K 2K7
V5K 2K8
V5K 2K9
V5K 2L1
V5K 2L2
V5K 2L3
V5K 2L4
V5K 2L5
V5K 2L6
V5K 2L7
V5K 2L8
V5K 2L9
V5K 2M1
V5K 2M2
V5K 2M3
V5K 2M4
V5K 2M5
V5K 2M6
V5K 2M7
V5K 2M8
V5K 2M9
V5K 2N1
V5K 2N2
V5K 2N3
V5K 2N4
V5K 2N5
V5K 2N6
V5K 2N7
V5K 2N8
V5K 2N9
V5K 2P1
V5K 2P2
V5K 2P3
V5K 2P4
V5K 2P5
V5K 2P6
V5K 2P7
V5K 2P8
V5K 2P9
V5K 2R1
V5K 2R2
V5K 2R3
V5K 2R4
V5K 2R5
V5K 2R6
V5K 2R7
V5K 2R8
V5K 2R9
V5K 2S1
V5K 2S2
V5K 2S3
V5K 2S4
V5K 2S5
V5K 2S6
V5K 2S7
V5K 2S8
V5K 2S9
V5K 2T1
V5K 2T2
V5K 2T3
V5K 2T4
V5K 2T5
V5K 2T6
V5K 2T7
V5K 2T8
V5K 2T9
V5K 2V1
V5K 2V2
V5K 2V3
V5K 2V4
V5K 2V5
V5K 2V6
V5K 2V7
V5K 2V8
V5K 2V9
V5K 2W1
V5K 2W2
V5K 2W3
V5K 2W4
V5K 2W5
V5K 2W6
V5K 2W7
V5K 2W8
V5K 2W9
V5K 2X1
V5K 2X2
V5K 2X3
V5K 2X4
V5K 2X5
V5K 2X6
V5K 2X7
V5K 2X8
V5K 2X9
V5K 2Y1
V5K 2Y2
V5K 2Y3
V5K 2Y4
V5K 2Y5
V5K 2Y6
V5K 2Y7
V5K 2Y8
V5K 2Y9
V5K 2Z1
V5K 2Z2
V5K 2Z3
V5K 2Z4
V5K 2Z5
V5K 2Z6
V5K 2Z7
V5K 2Z8
V5K 2Z9
V5K 3A2
V5K 3A3
V5K 3A4
V5K 3A5
V5K 3A6
V5K 3A7
V5K 3A8
V5K 3A9
V5K 3B1
V5K 3B2
V5K 3B3
V5K 3B4
V5K 3B5
V5K 3B6
Neighourhoods
Downtown is known for a buzzing nightlife scene on neon-lit Granville Street, with raucous bars, clubs, and live bands at the art deco Commodore Ballroom. By day, it’s a busy shopping hub of chain and luxury boutiques, plus high-end department stores in the CF Pacific Centre mall. Food trucks and casual lunch spots dot the area, and cruise liners depart from Canada Place, a terminal designed to look like a ship.
Lively Gastown is known for its whistling Steam Clock and mix of souvenir shops, indie art galleries and decor stores in Victorian buildings. A trendy food and drink scene includes chic cocktail lounges and restaurants serving everything from gourmet sandwiches to local seafood. Hip eateries also dot the neighboring Downtown Eastside area, while the up-and-coming Railtown district is home to edgy fashion studios.
Kitsilano is a laid-back residential area known for the huge saltwater Kitsilano Pool and mountain views from Kitsilano Beach. Stores selling yoga wear, outdoor gear and fashionable clothes line West 4th Avenue, the main drag, and dining options range from waterside seafood spots to long-standing vegetarian eateries. Cultural attractions include the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.
East Vancouver is a region within the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby. East Vancouver is divided from Vancouver’s West Side” by Ontario Street.”
East Vancouver is a region within the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby. East Vancouver is divided from Vancouver’s West Side” by Ontario Street.”
Happening Yaletown is known for its old warehouse buildings now home to hip restaurants and cocktail lounges, many with buzzing outdoor terraces, as well as indie fashion and decor boutiques. On the waterfront, David Lam Park has an expansive lawn and a playground, while the Seawall is popular for cycling and walking. Professional sports and rock concerts take place at nearby BC Place stadium and the Rogers Arena.
Sunset is the most ethnically diverse neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is located in the south-east quadrant of the city.
Chinatown is known for its buzzing food scene, which includes traditional Asian bakeries, dim sum restaurants and hip cocktail bars. Jars of ginseng and dried fish line the shelves of old-school apothecaries, while Chinese groceries stocked with live seafood and exotic vegetables share the streets with indie fashion shops. Nearby, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden has tranquil paths and pavilions.
Mostly residential, the easygoing West End offers gay bars in Davie Village, chic fashion stores on Robson Street, and diverse dining ranging from ramen shops to seafood grills. It’s also the gateway to vast Stanley Park, known for its forested trails and Seawall waterfront path. The area’s public art includes the A-maze-ing Laughter sculpture, featuring 14 cast-bronze figures, and the Inukshuk, a stone Inuit statue.
The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. One of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, the DTES is the site of a complex set of social issues including disproportionately high levels of drug use, homelessness, poverty, crime, mental illness and sex work.
South Vancouver is a sprawling district of residential neighbourhoods like Punjabi Market, where Indian eateries dish up samosas and biryani and shops sell saris and jewelry. In the leafy Kerrisdale area, indie book and fashion stores mix with cozy cafes along a villagelike stretch of West 41st Avenue. Green spaces include several golf courses and Fraser River Park, whose boardwalks cross restored tidal marshes.
Things to do in Vancouver
Stanley Park is a 405-hectare public park in British Columbia, Canada that makes up the northwestern half of Vancouver’s Downtown Peninsula, surrounded by waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is 140 metres long and 70 metres above the river.
Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge.
The Vancouver Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, ocean literacy education, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.
The Vancouver Art Gallery is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a 15,300-square-metre-building adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size.
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is renowned for its displays of world arts and cultures, in particular works by First Nation band governments of the Pacific Northwest.
In 1970 the Vancouver Foundation, the British Columbia provincial government, and the city of Vancouver signed an agreement to provide the funding to develop a public garden on part of the old Shaughnessy Golf Course.
Science World is a science centre run by a not-for-profit organization of the same name in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the end of False Creek and features many permanent interactive exhibits and displays, as well as areas with varying topics throughout the years.
Science World is a science centre run by a not-for-profit organization of the same name in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the end of False Creek and features many permanent interactive exhibits and displays, as well as areas with varying topics throughout the years.
Queen Elizabeth Park is a 130-acre municipal park located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located on top of Little Mountain and is the location of former basalt quarries that were dug in the beginning of the twentieth century to provide material for roads in the city.
1,200-metre mountain offering activities such as skiing & hiking plus sweeping views of Vancouver.